Get Paramedic certified, Haz-Mat, and all the free trainings. Some collages have All in one class. you mite go to a job offer for a town with 100 other people, NYFD get like 16,000 people going to a spot. Its growing but there are too many people to do the job, you need to stand out.

A volunteer fire dept. is one place you can get free training. In Rhode Island we get tons of free to near free class time most with no prerequisite's. If your location is right, texas has tons of job openings unlike new england where I'm from, we have few jobs and lots of people applying. Collage or military is a big plus if your serious, If you went to school for it, most dept. put you on top. My lieutenant been in more structure fires and medical codes then I can think of but got pick over trying to get into a smaller dept. for someone with only a collage associates in fire science and he never been in a fire. hope it helps, its not easy. enjoy being called probe 2 lol

Don't get paramedic if you don't want to be a paramedic. Sure, it'll get you a job at a station, but if you don't like what your job is, then you've wasted a whole lot of time.
If you can score high on civil service exams you might make it into a big city's fire academy which will provide your certifications. You can also get them through some community colleges. And make sure you're in shape. Good luck to you.

im in an emt=b class right now. be careful on the teacher. my teacher is miserable, and has made this class very hard. it like an ego thing, if you are a firefighter, then it is totally different in class. just e a=careful on the class and ASK if they will help you be successful.

anon in Austin, Texas said: Don't get paramedic if you don't want to be a paramedic. Sure, it'll get you a job at a station, but if you don't like what your job is, then you've wasted a whole lot of time.
If you can score high on civil service exams you might make it into a big city's fire academy which will provide your certifications. You can also get them through some community colleges. And make sure you're in shape. Good luck to you.

In california EMT is REQUIRED. You must have your emt certification to apply for a position. Do like they say and get your associates degree in fire technology that will put you on the top of the stack. free education is possible (depending on your finacial status) with a community college. top fire program is at MT. San Antonio college. also available at san juacinto and rio hondo. emt, then core fire classes, then fire academy then associates degree. DO THE ACADEMY EVEN IF PEOPLE SAY THEY WILL TRAIN YOU AT THE DEPARTMENT! They will like to see that you already have training plus it will make your training easier. when applying just keep testing at every stationg possible even if its not your first choice as to where you want to work. hope that helps. good luck.

granite7 in Frazier Park, California said: I'm a 48 year old Hispanic man, in incredible physical shape, have been involved in search and rescue for many years, (avalanche, plane crashes, high angle, and wilderness), have had an wilderness EMT-I cert in the past.(Retaking the class again this summer), been a seasonal wild land firefighter EMT, as well as just a firefighter. And would like to pursue a EMT-P as well as consider urban firefighting. What are the realistic chances of being accepted into a fire academy and then getting hired in today's competitive world?

One thing you will have to think about is the fact that you are 48 years old, and many pension systems require you to be 35-45 by the date of hire. If you get your Paramedic license that is the best way to get hired onto a city fire department. Getting into a fire academy may not be too difficult, but getting hired a whole different story.

anon in Austin, Texas said: Don't get paramedic if you don't want to be a paramedic. Sure, it'll get you a job at a station, but if you don't like what your job is, then you've wasted a whole lot of time.
If you can score high on civil service exams you might make it into a big city's fire academy which will provide your certifications. You can also get them through some community colleges. And make sure you're in shape. Good luck to you.

Don't get paramedic if you don't want to be a paramedic? If you are a firefighter then you will be running 80-90% medical calls. If you don't like what your job is, then you've wasted a lot of time? What does that mean? Are you saying that you should only like the putting out fires part of being a firefighter? Because if that's the case, you would be in a world of hurt. Most calls fire departments get these days are not fire related, and you better be willing to work as a paramedic and if not that then at least an EMT-Basic, because it will be required. Most calls are medical related, and the way fire departments are going paramedics are very useful.

Steve in Bristol, Rhode Island said: A volunteer fire dept. is one place you can get free training. In Rhode Island we get tons of free to near free class time most with no prerequisite's. If your location is right, texas has tons of job openings unlike new england where I'm from, we have few jobs and lots of people applying. Collage or military is a big plus if your serious, If you went to school for it, most dept. put you on top. My lieutenant been in more structure fires and medical codes then I can think of but got pick over trying to get into a smaller dept. for someone with only a collage associates in fire science and he never been in a fire. hope it helps, its not easy. enjoy being called probe 2 lol

/but what u do when the fireman and woman at your staion do not went to trinng like they sould.

does anyone here recomend truckee meadows fire academy in reno several firefighters in las vegas went do you think there a better looking academys then that ? im an explorer att the moment and would be great in a academy i can get my turnouts in 30 sec i just want the best looking college and academy i can get please help

I am currently beginning my classes to become EMT-B certified. I've done one ride along for a small fire dept, but what is my next step? How do I start to look for jobs as a firefighter and whats the best way to do this?

Steve in Costa Mesa, California said: Get Paramedic certified, Haz-Mat, and all the free trainings. Some collages have All in one class. you mite go to a job offer for a town with 100 other people, NYFD get like 16,000 people going to a spot. Its growing but there are too many people to do the job, you need to stand out.